Knockdown support



Jur-1e 26, 1928.l

A H. F. MAYNEs KNocxDowN SUPPORT Filed June 25, 1927 2 Sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS June 26,1928. f 1,674,734

H. F. MAYNES KNOGKDOWN SUPPORT Filed June 25, 1927 2 shets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS objectionable features.k

Patented June 26, 19.28.v

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.l

HYLA E. MAYNES', on NORTH;

TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, Assrenon ory cina-HALF 'ro EMMA o. MAYNEaor Non-'rrr TONAWANDA, NEW YoBK.

KNoonnoWN SUPPORT.

Application filed June 25,

not only that the supports have the necessary strength and rigidity but thatthey may be set up and knocked down with the least laborv and within-the shortest spaceA of time con- 16 sistent with safety. It has heretofore jbeen the practiceto make these supports of steel piping articulated by means of machined bed clamps, each joint being carefully fitted and the elements intendedk to be assembled always v- 20 in the same relation. This'has necessitatedl the marking of every `element and has made it impossible to'set up .the ride with any speed. Furthermore, in setting f-,np and knocking down of the elements themselveswhich has often resulted inbreaking or injuringthem.

It is ythe object of 'thepresent invention to l knock down support free from thesev This I have done byl doing away with the necessity for a nice fit between the elements ,and 'securing a tight joint by means ofseparate wedge pinsv Each upright is provided with one or more V horizontally` projecting yokes, either single or double, and each horizontal element with castings provided with openings which fit over the yokes. The horizontal elements are then clamped to the uprights by inserting 40 the wedgevpins within the outer ends ofthe yokes. As a result all elements of the same kind and dimensions canY changeable, no time need be lost in searching for a. particularly numbered piece, andthe hammer blows necessary in assembling and, disassembling are applied to the wedge pins "and not to lthe elements themselves, which prolongs the life of the elements.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention. In these drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a section of a curved ride provided withthe knock down j vsupport of the present invention; Figure 2 5e is enlarged detail partly kin Section showmake a the ride it has been necessary 25 tol apply hammer blows to the ,jointed ends be made inter- 1927. serial No. 201,323.

ing three uprights,each*l provided with .a doubleyoke, andtwo intermediate horizon-- tal elements supported thereby, the uprights "beingarranged on a4 curve as in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a'section: taken along line 3 3 of Figure 2 showing the manner in which the wedge pins clamp `the-horizontal elements against' the uprights; Figure 4 is a perspec-. tive Iview of'one ofthe joints showing the wedge pin in place; Figure 5 is a perspective view ,illustrating one upright and horizontal element inposition just prior to assembly gvFigure G is an elevation of an assembledA sectionk ofthesupport; lFigure 7 is a view `similar to Figure 3 showing theuprights in alignment; Figure 8 is ay detail of-one of thejoints-showing a modified formvof pipe lock I or clamping element, this form differing from the one shown in Figure'?y to permit the horizontalr elements to be mounted' in alignment.; yFigure 9` illustratesy two rightangle joints made inl accordanceV with the present invention, Figure 10 is an elevation of one of the joints shown'in Figure 9 looky ing in the directionl of the arrows 1U- 10,` andy Figure 11 isa view similar to Figures 7 and 8, single horizontal element and provided with' a single yoke. l n f f The supports illustrated in these drawings comprise a' lurality of uprights 1 consisting of sections of cylindrical steel piping', and horizontal elements' 2, also consisting of sections of steel piping, supported-upon and secured to the uprights. The uprights 1 are mounted upon standards 3 designed to rest upon the ground. In order to compensate for inequalities in the surface of the ground,

'thesev standaii'ds are made adjustable bymeans of telescopic connections, not illustrated. The present invention relates tothe means by which 'the horizontal. elements are secured lto thev uprights, and these means I shall now describe v Each upright is provided with one or more yokes 4. These yokes are made of cast steel but showing an upright crossed bya` l1 pierced lby an opening 12 adapted to receive one oit the projecting parts ot the yoke. In assembling the parts, the opening l2 in one of the pipe lock-s is slipped over a projecting ear of a .yoke until the tace ll bears against the upright. The yokel G then projects beyond the pipe lock and into it a wedge pin 13 is inserted and driven against the outer tace oli' the pipe lock, thus clamping the latter against the upright. The position ot the parts before assembly is sli-own in Figure 5, and after assembly in Figures 3 and Il.

As most amusement rides are curvilinear, thel uprights arecommonly arranged on a curve as illustrated in Figures l and 2. In ordery that the horizontal elements shall be interchangeable, the cylindrical clamping 'Faces ot the pipe locks are made less than 180o inextent, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 2, and in order that veach yoke shall be normal to the horizontal element which it supports, the two ends of each yoke are setat the proper angle, as illustrated clearly in Figure 2. All upriglits therefore having the same number el" yokes, although interchangeable, must be set so that each projecting ear of each yoke is always normal to the horizontal element supported by it. In the case ot a straight ride, or a straight section oi a ride, the ears of the yokes arealigned with each other, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, and in such cases the cylindrical clamping 'faces are exactly 1800 in extent, and the pipe locks made so that succeeding elements continue in the same straight line.

The horizontal elements, illustrated in Figures 2 and 7, are arranged with their piping on alternate sides oit the centerline ot the uprights. lBy. varying the shape oi the pipe locks, as illustrated in Figure 8, the piping can be made coaxial when assembled.

In Figure 9 I have illustrated the vinvention applied to two right-angle turns. The principles involved are precisely the same as in the case of straight or curved sections of the support, but here the two projecting ears ot the yokes are situated at right-angles and the pipe locks are, of course, ot' modified form.

In Figure l1 I have illustrated the use ofv a single yoke on an upright. Here v horizontal' elements.

the pipe lock is intermediate the ends ot the pipe and is provided with two collars 8 and a single clamping element 9.

In Figures' l and 6 I have illustrated other single yokes which support the cross pipes 14 on which the rails l5 are mounted.

The advantages of my improved support will be apparent trom the foregoing description. In a straight-away section all of the analogous parts of the same dimensions are interchangeable, both the uprights and the The yhorizontal elements are not only interchangeable end to end, but can be applied to either side of the line ot uprights. That is, they may be reversed end for end and top for bottom. In the case ot a curved ride it isl necessary to posit-ion the uprights so that the angular' disposition ot' the yokes makes them always normal to the supported elements. Otherwise, all uprights having the same spacing et yokes are interchangeable. Where a right-angle turn is to be made, the upriglits are also interchangeable, but must be properly positioned. The horizontal elements are, however, completely interchangeable.

As a result ot this complete interchangeability, the operators in setting up the support can utilize thel first element of agiven kind which they put their handl to and be assured of a tight fit in all cases. The intricate system of numbering interitting elements is thus ldone away ywithand the time The elements are articulated by inserting the wedge pin after assembly of the parts and driving .it in position by means of a hammer blow. rIhe support can be disassembled required to set up a support greatly reduced.v

with even greater ease, the wedge pins being readily knocked out by a blow frein thelbottom. In the event that any of the pins bind, repeated blows can, at worstfdoino' more than injure the particular pin which cank be easilyy replaced.l None ot vthe elements of the support themselves is subjected to hammer blows and danger of breakage or injury is practically eliminated.

claim: y l. A knock down support comprising` the combination of a plurality offuprights,

yokes on theuprights, a pluralityI of interchangeable horizontal elements each terminating in a member provided with an opening for receiving the yoke, and wedge pins adapted to enter the yokes and ylock the horizontal elements in 'position upon. the uprights.

2. In a knock down support Ithe combina-y tion of an upright, a horizontally projecting yoke thereon, a horizontal element, a castingv thereon having a face tor receiving the upright and an opening for receivingthe yoke, and a wedge for entering the yoke to clamp the casting against the upright.

3. In a knock down support the combination of a. cylindrical upright, a double horizontally projecting yoke thereon, a pair of horizontal elements each terminatingfin a casting having a cylindrical concave facey adapted to lit partly around the upright and an opening adapted to receiveone of the projecting parts of the yoke,`and wedge pins adapted to enter the yoke and clamp the castings against the uprights.

4. A knock downy support iter amusement lie rides comprisingthe combination of a plurality of interchangeable uprights arranged on curve, a double horizontallyprojecting yoke on each upright, a plurality of intercylindrical concave face of less than 180 in extent fitting'partly around one of the uprights and an opening receiving one of the projecting parts of one of the yokes, and wedge pins Within the yokes clamping the horizontal elements against the uprights.

5. A knock clown support `for amusement rides comprising the combination of a plurality of interchangeable uprightsarranged on a curve, a clouhlehorizontally projecting yoke on each upright, a plurality of interchangeable horizontal elernents each terminating at either end in a casting having a cylindrical concave face of less than 180 in extent fitting partly around one of the uprights and an opening receiving one of the projecting parts of one of the yokes, each projecting part of each yoke being normal to thehorizontal element which it supports,

and Wedge pins Within the yokes clamping the horizontal elements against the uprights. In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

HYLA F.*MAYNES. v 

